(Yicai) May 16 -- Guiyang, the capital of southwestern China’s Guizhou province, added 199,600 permanent residents last year -- more than any other major city in the country -- signaling robust economic and industrial development in the second-tier city.

Known for its mild climate and concentration of data centers, Guiyang surpassed Hefei in Anhui province -- the previous leader -- in the number of new hukou registrations, according to public data. The hukou is China’s household registration system that grants residents access to public services such as education and healthcare.

As China faces rapid population aging, cities are competing to attract talent and support family development. Analysts say Guiyang’s population surge is tied to its rapid expansion in key sectors such as electronic information, equipment manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, food production, new energy vehicles, and Big Data -- all of which are drawing workers from across the country.

As of Dec. 31, Guiyang’s permanent population stood at 6.6 million, marking a year-on-year increase of 3 percent. For four consecutive years, the city has gained over 100,000 new residents annually, with a cumulative rise of 615,500.

Following Guiyang, Shenzhen ranked second in population growth, Guangzhou third, and Hefei fourth. The 10 fastest-growing cities also included Changsha, Nanchang, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Xi’an, and Dongguan. Each of the top eight cities added over 100,000 new permanent residents last year. Notably, five of them are located in Guangdong and Zhejiang -- two highly developed coastal provinces.

The industrial upgrading across Guangdong, China’s largest economic powerhouse, continues to attract skilled labor. Last year, Shenzhen’s permanent population rose by 199,400, Guangzhou’s by 151,000, and Foshan -- which ranked 11th -- by 83,500. Guangdong also recorded 1.1 million births, maintaining its status as China’s top province for newborns for the seventh straight year.

Other notable performers were provincial capitals in the country's central and western regions. Hefei added 149,000 new residents. Changsha and Nanchang each saw increases exceeding 100,000, while Xi’an’s population grew by nearly 90,000.

Analysts noted that provincial capitals lead regional development. The continued progress in industrialization and urbanization in central and western China, combined with strong technological innovation, has accelerated the concentration of modern industrial clusters in these cities. This dynamic has become a major draw for talent across the country, they added.

Editor: Emmi Laine